Wireless Network

D Link Wireless Network Cards Driver

Installing and configuring a wireless home network using a D-Link router Installing and configuring a wireless home network using a D-Link router Steps to create a D-Link wireless home network

Creating a D-Link DI-624 wireless home network requires six steps:

Verify Installation Installation Preparations Windows Setup Update Security Add Computers Test Connections

Step 1: Verify installation

Steps to create a D-Link DI-624 wireless home network

Before you begin creating a home network, confirm that your D-Link DI-6234 router is functioning properly. The easiest way to do this is to verify you can connect to the Internet.

1. Open Internet Explorer or any other browser on your computer.
2. Enter into the Address field. The Verizon home page should display.

Step 2: Preparations

Steps to create a D-Link Di-624 wireless home network

Before you begin setting up your wireless network be sure that you have completed each item on the checklist below.

Review the wireless networking system requirements

Review the factors to consider before installing your wireless network.

Verify you have the required network adapters and accessories:

D-Link Wireless USB adapterfor each desktop computer you are connecting to your network.

D-Link Wireless USB adapter or D-Link Wireless Notebook adapter for each notebook computer you are connecting to your network.

Many newer computers are sold with wireless network adapters installed.

Step 3: Setting up your home network

Steps to create a D-Link DI-624 wireless home network

Although you can set up a home network in earlier versions of Windows, you will find it significantly easier if the computer connected to the router is running Windows XP. Windows XP was designed with features and installation wizards specifically for home networking.

Click Start in the left Taskbar. Click All Programs

Click Accessories 1. Note: The name cannot contain spaces or special characters. 1. Note: The workgroup name cannot contain any spaces or special characters. Click Communications Select Network Setup Wizard Click Next when the Welcome to the Network Setup Wizard displays. Review the preparation steps and click Next. Please disregard the note to install the network adapters and turn on all peripherals. That will be done in a later step. If the disconnected network hardware window displays, select Ignore disconnected network hardware and click Next. Enter a name for your network workgroup in the Workgroup name field and click Next. All computers connected to your network must be assigned to the same workgroup. 1. Note : The workgroup name cannot contain any spaces or special characters. Verify the network settings you have entered and click Next. Select Create a Network Setup Disk and click Next. Select the drive where you want to save the information from the options displayed and click Next. Follow the directions for the type of drive you selected and click Next. Review the instructions for using the setup disk. Remove the disk from the drive and click Next. Click Finish. You will use this setup disk later if you add other computers to your network. If you are prompted to restart your computer, click Yes.

Step 4: Configuring the wireless security settings on your D-Link router

Steps to create a D-Link DI-624 wireless home network

Security is an important issue when using a wireless home network. Because radio waves are used to transfer information between your networked computers, it's possible for hackers to intercept this information. Taking advantage of the security features built into your D-Link router can make it much more difficult for hackers to access your personal information.

The level of protection required for your home network is dependent on the type of information stored on your home network. You have to decide what level of protection you need and how you are going to provide that protection. This section provides information on the most basic steps to increase the security of your home network. It is not intended to include a description of all the possible security features provided by the D-Link router.

Take a few minutes now to improve the security of your home network by changing the initial settings of your D-Link router to provide the level of protection you need. Periodically, you should maintain the security of your home network by changing your router password, SSID, and WEP key.

Note: You may have already completed some of the initial security updates listed below during installation. Simply skip the steps that you have already completed.

Initial Security Settings

Change the wireless settings

Open your Web browser and enter in the Address field.

2. Enter your router user name and password. If you haven't changed your router user name and password, enter admin in the User Name field and leave the Password field blank.
   
3. When the D-Link Configuration screen displays, confirm that the Home tab is selected and click Wireless.

Change your default router password

Your D-Link router's default values of "admin" as the user name and no entry in the Password field are well-known to hackers. If these values are not changed, it's easier for hackers to access your network and information. It's important that you not only change your user name and password from the default, but that you continue to change it regularly.

There are two accounts set up on your router: the User and Administrator accounts. Because the Administrator account can make changes to your network settings, it's very important to change the Administrator user name and password.

1. Select the Tools tab and click Admin.
2. Enter a new Administrator user name in the Login Name field.
3. Enter a new password in the New Password field.
4. Enter the password again in the Confirm Password field.
5. Click Apply.

Enable MAC Address filtering

You can limit access to your home network to increase the security of the information stored on it. MAC address filtering allows you to specify the computers that can access the network. This makes it much more difficult for hackers to break into your home network.

Each computer is assigned a MAC address. You will use this MAC address to specify the only computers allowed to connect to your home network.

2. Select the Advanced tab and select Filters in the left pane.
3. Select MAC Filters.
   

5. Enter a name for the computer you're allowing access to your network in the Name field. You may want to give it a descriptive name like Dad's notebook or Family Room Desktop.